Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-09-22
PIGS EoR PRoEIr.
zne Proper Way Of Caring For and Manag
ing Growing POrkers.

OF a slop made of water and wheat mid
'dlings. There were nearly score OF
them, and they were thrifty and pic
lures of health. They slept under a
sshed all enclosed, except an open door
in the middle. through which they
entered. Their bed was dry, and a
fresh lot of straw once in awhile made
ut inviting. Here was real pig para
disc. and the sprightly ways and bright
looks of the inmates were proof beyond
dispute, of comfort, health and rapid
growth.
By-and-by winter came. The shed
was required for sheep, and the pigs
were shut in large building with a
Dot Of straw put in one corner for a bed,
md the rest of the space for feeding
.piace, and other uses natural to the
pigs. Outside of the bed and around
the trOughs the place soon became wet
and muddy, and this wet and muddy
condition soon extended over the bed;
and if new lot of straw was thrown
upon it, in one day it would become
saturated. Here the pigs would pile
upon each other, and the steam would
rise from the mass of uncomfortable
and struggling animals until each one
was hot and wet.
The pigs were fed twice as much
grain rs they had had while in the field
and shed, but still there was no visible
gain. They all looked gaunt and star
ing. In a few weeks they began to
cough, and some of them to pant, show
ing an affection of the lungs, or at
least more or less congestion. Not
long after the weaklings began to
die. They would be found under
the pile, smothered. These cases
of death were not those of cholera.
but of disorder known as stupidity.
1t is a disease which RACES among the
owners of livestock more than with
the animals, but unfortunately the ami
mails suffer the most. This man got
the scales off his eyes, saw things as
they were, and reasoned out a better
plan.
He put the pigs in lots of five, graded
according to size. He gave each lot a
pen by themselves, and room to eat
and move about, in one place, and n
bed in another. The bed was always
dry and the place warm. The pigs
which were not too far gone recovered,
and the rest began to grow and did
well. Here are practical lessons, which
apply the world over, and the reader
can judge regarding them. A more
careless man, and one Indifferent to
the comfort Of his animals. would have
left things as they were. and no doubt
would have lost all his pigs ina short
time. There are many cases of just
such management with hogs which re-
suit fatally, and are ascribed to cholera
or some contagious disorder.
I am satisfied that hogs should never
aDe kept in hot Or close place, or in n
basement where the manure is put. A
farmer recently consulted me about
putting his hog-pens under his barn in
IAN extended basement. His plan was
to drop all of the manure from the
barn and cow stables into this base
ment, and let the hogs live on it and
work it over.
This would make the place damp and
more less wet under foot, the very con-
ditions unsuited to swine, as it was the
. intention of the owner to wall it all in,
so that it would not freeze. 1t is not
necessary that a pig house should not
freeze, but it is necessary that the air
should be free from dampness and the
chilliness which is connected with eel
lar, or warm, damp place. Hogs are
very susceptible to colds. both inward
and outward. and to rheumatism. /
believe it is law. which can not be
broken with impunity, that the human
species will become sick when confined
I
the same with swine. The air must be
dry aud pure; above ground is the only
place to keep hogs. Hogs do not mind
the cold, if they can be dry and clean,
and can get into good bed where they
can partially cover themselves. The
bed should always be located where no
drafts or currents of air will blow upon
Jhem. They never do well when this
10 the case, and much of the sickness of
hogs is due to such exposure.
A pig does not perspire like y horse.
and on this account it should never be
driven fast or chased by dogs. 1t only
takes II little hurrying to get pig very
much heated, and often fatal results
will follow. If an overheated pig is ex-
posed to the cold. it will cool too sud-
denly. and be likely to have turn of
congestion in some vital part. They
avill often worry each other to adegree
that is dangerous from overheating
In hot weather 1 have saved hog
which was fleshy from dying when
ovcrheated (by others chasing and
fighting iD, by hauling it to cool
place and throwing water on it. AS
soon as it could walk it was made to
inove about little. and then left in
cool place.
When hog opens its mouth to get .
greater supply of air it must be let
alone. or it will die from excessive heat